Pawar, Patel in line of Opposition fire, JPC demanded

New Delhi, Apr 23 (PTI) Union Ministers Sharad Pawar and
Praful Patel Friday came in the line of fire with Opposition
making a strong demand for constitution of a Joint
Parliamentary Committee to probe the financial wrong-doings in
IPL, a decision on which has been left to Indian Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh.
Parliament business was disrupted with the Opposition
leaders demanding that only a JPC probe will have credibility
as there were allegations of involvement of two ministers in
the controversy.
While leaders attacked the two Ministers without taking
their names, senior Bhartiya Janta Party leader Yashwant Sinha
demanded outside Parliament their resignation in the interest
of impartial probe. But his own party leaders did not appear
to share his enthusiam on the resignation issue.
The Upper House Rajya Sabha was adjourned after lunch
without transacting any business with BJP members insisting on
a JPC probe.
Leader of the Opposition in Lower House Lok Sabha Sushma
Swaraj raked up the issue saying it was getting "more serious
by the day" and demanded a JPC probe to save the dignity of
the House and to throw light on the issue.
Communist Party of India leader in Lok Sabha described it
as the "most serious fraud unparallelled in the history of
independent India". He held that "unpardonable violation of
law has taken place for the last two years under the nose of
the government.
The two ministers, who belong to Nationalist Congress
Party, an important ally of the Congress at the Centre and in
Maharashtra state, were targeted in both the Houses but their
names were not not taken.
The Opposition members described the alleged financial
wrongdoings in the IPL as a huge scam and wanted to know "how
many more Tharoors were there".
Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor
was forced to resign on Sunday following allegations of misuse
of power by him to get sweat equity of the value of Rs 70
crore for his friend Sunanda Pushkar.
Alleging that two Ministers were under cloud for "gross
misuse of power", opposition members stalled proceedings.
Responding to the demands, Finance Minister Pranab
Mukherjee said in Lok Sabha "it (a decision on JPC) is to be
taken after due diligence and consideration. It cannot be like
instant coffee or instant consideration".
Observing that the government will have to ponder over
it, Mukherjee, who is also the Leader of the Lok Sabha, said,
"I will communicate your sentiments to the Prime Minister. As
and when the government takes a decision, we will come to
Parliament. Let us wait for some time." More PTI NCB
KAB


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